Accident Insurance: What the Law Says and What Compensation You Get

Accident insurance is a voluntary class 1 policy that pays an indemnity for death, disability or injury caused by an accident — regardless of fault. Accident insurance from GENERAL Asigurări protects individuals, families, employees and drivers, with sums and conditions set out in the policy.

What is accident insurance and who is it for?

Accident insurance is a voluntary general insurance product, class 1 "accident insurance", which protects the property interests linked to the insured person's life, health and ability to work. The contract can be individual, family or group, according to the option stated in the policy.

The product is aimed at several categories of policyholders: individuals who want cover for themselves or their family, through an individual or family contract; companies that insure employees through a group contract, including against workplace accidents; and, as a separate product, drivers who are citizens of the Republic of Moldova, aged between 18 and 70, for road accidents that happen while they are behind the wheel.

These are two different products built on the same logic — both fall under voluntary class 1 insurance, but with different conditions and a different pool of insured people. The general product (for a person, family or group) describes risks and sums more broadly, while the driver product is a narrower, specialised one, tied specifically to the moment of driving the vehicle.

What risks does the policy cover?

If they are stated in the policy, the covered risks are the death of the insured person as a result of an accident, disability caused by an accident, and injury — bodily harm, trauma or lesions from an accident, including workplace accidents. Cover can apply 24 hours a day or only during working hours (8/24), on the territory of Moldova or anywhere in the world, according to the territory stated in the policy — except for zones excluded under the conditions, such as areas in a state of war, terrorism or movement restrictions.

For drivers, the separate product designed for them covers death or permanent disability caused by a sudden, unforeseen and unintentional road accident — collision, hitting an obstacle, rollover, skidding, falling, being struck by stones or objects, or self-ignition — while the insured person is driving the vehicle, on the territory of Moldova.

How is the payout calculated?

For general accident insurance, the insured sum is chosen when the contract is signed, from MDL 10,000 up to MDL 200,000; higher sums require the underwriter's approval. For an injury, the indemnity is set according to the indemnity tables, depending on the injury sustained and the insured sum in the policy.

For the driver product, the insured sum is chosen from the options of MDL 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000, and the indemnity is calculated as follows: for death, 100% of the insured sum; for severe permanent disability, 100%; for pronounced disability, 75%; for medium disability, 50% of the insured sum. The indemnity is paid as a single payment to the insured person, or, in case of death, to the beneficiary named in the policy or to the legal heirs.

How long does the contract run and how do you cancel it?

For general accident insurance, the validity period can run from 1 to 12 months. For the death risk, cover starts at 00:00 on the day immediately following payment of the premium; for injury and disability, at 00:00 on the 3rd day after payment, but not before the premium is paid in full. The contract can be cancelled by written notice, with a 30-day notice period.

For drivers, the contract is usually signed for 12 months, and cover runs from 00:00 on the day following payment of the premium and ends at 24:00 on the date stated in the policy. The insured person can cancel the contract early if the insurer fails to meet its obligations, with 10 working days' notice.

What the policy does not cover

Events are not covered if they happen under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other toxic substances, while driving without the appropriate licence, or after refusing to be tested. Excluded are intentional acts, gross negligence, crimes, self-harm, suicide or attempted suicide, as well as events that happen before cover starts or during a suspension period. Sports and higher-risk activities are covered only if they were declared and accepted in the contract. Separately, the general product excludes people with severe disability or illnesses of a degree specific to that disability, as well as those who, when the contract is signed, are undergoing outpatient or inpatient treatment or are registered at a drug-treatment or psychoneurological clinic. The full list of exclusions is in the insurance terms.

What is the deadline for reporting an accident?

You are required to see a doctor immediately, follow the prescribed treatment and limit the consequences of the accident. For general accident insurance, notify the insurer right away, but no later than 30 days, at med@general.md or by phone at 022 783 800. For drivers, the notification deadline is shorter: notify in writing or by email within 7 days of the accident, and file the claim within 30 calendar days at the latest.

Attach to the claim: the policy or contract, an ID document, medical records, documents confirming the disability or death, and, for drivers, the police report on the accident.

What to remember

1. Accident insurance is voluntary, class 1, and can be individual, family or group.
2. The covered risks, if stated in the policy, are death, disability and injury.
3. The insured sum runs from MDL 10,000 to MDL 200,000 for the general product; for drivers, the options are MDL 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000.
4. For a driver's disability, the indemnity is 50%, 75% or 100% of the insured sum, depending on the degree of disability.
5. Report the accident within 30 days at the latest — 7 days if you are a driver.
6. Request an accident insurance quote on the GENERAL Asigurări website.

Note: the full conditions on what is not covered, the restrictions and how the premium is calculated are in the insurance terms, on the Accident insurance page.